Fluid treatment apparatus



Dec. 13, 1960 E. KUSTERS FLUID TREATMENT APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 20, 1956 WW m E ATI'D RN EYE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

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Dec. 13, 1960 Filed Feb. 20, 1956 United States Patent FLUID TREATMENT APPARATUS Eduard Kusters, Krefeld, Germany Filed Feb. 20, 195.6, Ser. No. 566,697

6 Claims. (Cl. 68-175) This invention relates to apparatus for the wet treatment of textile fabrics and the like and more particularly relates to an apparatus using a wave action principle.

In the present wet treatment of textiles, as for example in the washing or dyeing of textiles, comparatively large and expensive installations have been utilized with the result that the treatment has been complicated and expensive. In an attempt to improve the results which may be achieved it has been proposed to utilize a treatment tank containing a perforated guide drum about which the fabric Web is passed with the guide drum being mounted on a heavy vibrator carriage by means of which the drum is set into straight line vibrations of small amplitude. This has not been completely satisfactory since the vibrations have been of such a small amplitude as to cause only a disturbance of the Washing liquid without forcing the liquid back and forth through the material to secure an effective soaking. The closed surface of the drum between the perforations have contributed to this ineffectiveness and the straight line vibratory movement of the relatively large mass has been exceedingly diflicult to obtain with a reasonably simple mechanism which is capable of extended periods of use without frequent shut downs for repair and replacement of parts.

According to my invention I utilize a drum or sleeve which is porous enough to allow liquid to pass freely therethrough and which is mounted for rotation upon a shaft which is itself eccentrically rotatable. Upon rotation of the eccentric shaft the drum is carried through a circular vibratory path of a sufficient predetermined magnitude and frequency, that the liquid cannot follow and consequently passes back and forth through the highly' porous drum to insure a thorough soaking of the Whole Surface of the fabric which is in contact with the drum surface.

The entire system is mechanically balanced so that the vibration may be made sufliciently rapid and of adequate amplitude to bring about a satisfactory textile treatment of the type desired. This is impractical with a vibrating drum of the straight line motion type since in this arrangement the necessity for accelerating, stopping and reaccelerating the entire mass of a commercial size machine is an economical impossibility with simple low cost machinery.

It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for the wet treatment of textile fabrics and the like.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved apparatus for the wet treatment of textile fabrics and the like utilizing a porous drum mounted for rotational vibratory movement about a point.

It is. another object of the invention to provide an improved apparatus for the wet treatment of textile fabrics and the like utilizing a porous drum mounted for vibratory motion of an amplitude and frequency adequate to provide an effective textile treatment.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved apparatus for the wet treatment of textile fabrics and the like utilizing a porous, drum mounted for rotation upon a hearing which is itself eccentrically rotatable.

These and further objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon reference to the following specification and claims and appended drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical cross section showing one embodiment of a textile treating apparatus according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross section of another embodiment of a textile treating apparatus according to the invention; and

Figure 3 is a vertical cross section of the textile treating apparatus shown in Figure 2 taken on the line 33 thereof.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical section similar to Figure 2 showing the relationship of the cloth and drum during movement.

Referring to Figure 1 there is shown a drum 1 which is provided with a porous elastic covering 2 of sponge rubher or other equivalent material. The drum 1 is mounted upon bearing members 3a which are eccentric on the drive shaft 3. The shaft 3 may be driven by a suitable motor, not shown. Rotation of the shaft 3 and eccentric bearings 3a causes the entire drum 1 to move in a circular path, and the drum 1 is made to rotate on the eccentric bearing 3a in any suitable way such as by continuously pulling the web 12. The pulling force on the web 12 may be applied in any suitable way such as by nip rolls, not shown, and the speed of web travel is determined by the type of fabric and treating process.

According to this embodiment of the invention the drum 1 is partly submerged in the appropriate liquid 4 in a container 4 1. The Web of material 12 enters the container over a lip 11 and is guided around the drum 1 beneath the roller 8 and then under and over the rollers 13 and 14 respectively. From here the material web may be led to further treating points or to a drying chamber.

A plurality of heavy small bodies 5 which may be of spherical shape such as steel balls or may be rods or the like, are situated on the upper portion of the periphery of the drum where they rest upon the material web 12 which covers the porous covering 2. The bodies 5 are located in a container 6 which is provided with a number of radial partitions 7 for isolating the bodies and preventing jamming.

As the shaft 3 and bearing shaft 3a rotate, the drum 1 is subjected to a circular Vibratory movement which causes the bodies 5 to exert a pressure on the textile material and thereby cause the liquid in the covering of sponge rubber 2 to be pressed out and flow through the textile material and thence to be sucked back in rapid succession corresponding to the vibrations of the drum.

The roller 8 which rolls against the drum adjacent the emergence of the drum from the liquid 4 exerts pressure on the material prior to its passage under the bodies 5. The roller 8 thus presses the liquid in the covering 2 out to impart a powerful pumping action preparatory to subjecting the material to the actions of the bodies 5. Fresh water or other liquid may be introduced adjacent the bodies 5 so that the pumping action of the liquid through the material takes place as fresh liquid is supplied.

A further plurality of balls or bodies 9 of density less than the density of the liquid 4 may be provided beneath the drum 1 Where their buoyancy causes them to rise against the material on the drum. Plates 10 are provided to retain the bodies 9 in position. As the drum rotates under the influence of the shaft 3 and eccentric bearing shaft 3a the floating balls 9 force the liquid rapidly back and forth through the material surrounding the drum and in addition stabilize the liquid present in the container 4a. The container 4a may be provided with an overflow or outlet for the liquid 4.

Referring to Figures 2, 3 and 4 there is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention wherein the'porosity and liquid permeability of the drum 30 is obtained by forming the drum of a wire mesh sleeve preferably having amesh width on the order of 8 mm. .The wire mesh sleeve 31 is attached to struts'projecting radially from a hollow shaft or tube 15, mounted on ball bearings 16. Ball bearings 16 are carried by eccentric bearing shafts 17 on the shaft 18 and the shaft 18 is driven by any suitalale means such as, for instance, a motor 19 andpulley' 2 The drum 30 is almost completely immersed in the liquid in the container 24 which is provided with a neck 25 into which the material is introduced and from which the material emerges. The material web12 passes around the drum 30 beneath a guide roller 21 and thence passes between pressure rollers 22 and 23 which squeeze out liquid taken up by the textile material. The pressure rollers 22 and 23 may be driven by a suitable motor to pull the material. V 7

As the shaft 18 rotates carrying along with it the eccentric 17, the sleeve 31 is caused to vibrate in a circular path to thereby set up a strong liquid current which p'enettates the material in alternate directions. 7 This liquid current alternately presses the material into the meshes of the wire mesh sleeve 31 and withdraws it therefrom as indicated by the wavy reproduction of. the textile web 12 as shown in Figure 4 of the drawing.

In order to produce the desired treatment action it has been found that the amplitude of vibration should preferably be approximately 3 mm. and should lie Within a range of 2 to 6 mm. The frequency of oscillation bears a definite relation to the inertia factor of the bath liquid and if the frequency is increased above a certain amount, a cushion forms about the external surface of the drum as the liquid cannot fiow back quickly enough. Since the inertia of a liquid is dependent upon its temperature and specific gravity I have found that with any specific liquid, the drum must be vibrated at a predetermined frequency which will permit the liquid to flow back and forth through the drum. A further factor which in fluences the frequency of vibration is the diameter of the drum. 7 With drums of smaller diameter anincreased frequency of vibration is required since the dwell time, that is the time during which the fabric remains on the drum, becomes shorter. When all of these factors are taken into consideration I have found that the speed of oscillation should lie between 900 and 1600 r.p.m.

In all embodiments of the invention the eccentric shaft is balanced statically against the weight of the perforated drum by means of a corresponding counter poise on the shaft to result in a smooth running assembly. Because of this balance the only vibration is caused by the mass accelerationrof the liquid and fabric, although even this is absorbed to a certain extent by the rolling manner inwhich the vibration is brought about. That is to say, the drum executes a circular vibratory path rather than a straight line back and forth motion. With the latter type of movement the mass is necessarily unbalanced even without liquid in the tank and the speed and amplitude of vibration is definitely limited. 7

It will be apparent from the foregoing that I have provided an improved apparatus for the wet treatment of textile fabrics which is capable of providing an efiicient satisfactory treatment in a simple and economical manner. This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 522,149, filed July 15, 1955, now abandoned. The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. c

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

l. A fabric treating apparatus comprising a liquid container; a porous sleeve'f permitting liquid to pass freely therethrough and freely rotatable on its axis, around which the fabric is adapted to pass, mounted within said container, means for pulling the fabric to rotate the sleeve on its axis, means for maintaining the fabric in intimate contact with the periphery of the sleeve, in combination with drive means positively connected to said sleeve for uniformly giving a component of movement to said sleeve in a closed path eccentric to the axis of rotation of the sleeve; said drive means acting to positively drive said sleeve through its entire eccentric path of travel. I

2. A fabric treating apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said drive means for uniformly giving a' component ofmovement to said sleeve in a closed path comprises an eccentric mounted on a rotatably driven shaft.

3. A fabric treating apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the sleeve rotates on its axis on anti-friction bearings.

4. A fabric treating apparatus comprising a liquid container, a sleeve freely rotatable on its axis mounted within said container and porous to permit liquid to pass freely therethrough, the fabric to be treated passing around said sleeve, means turning the sleeve on its axis by pulling on the fabric, and means for maintaining the fabric in intimate contact with a major portion of the periphery of the sleeve, in combination with eccentric drive means for the sleeve giving the points on the periphery of the sleeve repeated uniform circular components of movement of the order of the eccentricity of the drive means; whereby the advancing fabric is given a regular uniform all-direction lengthened path of travel regardless of other conditions.

5. A fabric treating apparatus comprising a liquid container, a sleeve freely rotatable on its axis mounted within said container and porous to permit liquid to pass freely therethrough, the fabric to be treated passing around said sleeve, means turning the sleeve on its axis by pulling on the fabric, means for maintainingrthe fabric in intimate contact with the periphery of the sleeve, and positive eccentric drive means for said sleeve, said fabric pullingmeans and said drive means combining to impart to every point on the periphery'of said sleeve a continuous closed path of movement during each revolution of said sleeve defining a series of loops; whereby the advancing fabric is given a regular uniform all-direction lengthened path of travel regardless of other conditions."' r

6. A fabric treating apparatus comprising a liquid container, a shaft passing through said container, an eccentric hub surrounding said shaft and rotatable therewith; a wire mesh drum rotatably carried by said hub and freely rotatable thereon; means for maintaining the fabric in intimate contact with a major portion of the periphery of the drum; and means for rotating said shaft and hub whereby rotation of said shaft positively drives said drum in a closed path to produce passage of liquid through said fabric and themeshes of said drum.

References Cited in the file of this patent V STATES PATENTS V V r 947 Spencer Sept. 25, 1938 927,599. 7 Richardson Iuly'13, 1909 1,108,233 Rau Aug. 25, 1914 1,665,230 Spalding Apr. 10, 1928 2,174,863 Tarbox- .Oct. 3, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS 473,549 Great Britain oct. 14, 1937 554,768 France Aug. 4, 1922 707,529 Germany June 25 1941 

